Baby Steps leads the way with five nominations | Image: Gabe Cuzzillo / Maxi Boch / Bennett Foddy

2026 Independent Games Festival Awards Unveils Nominees

By Jason Siu Published 2 min read In News Tags IGF Awards
Baby Steps leads the way with five nominations | Image: Gabe Cuzzillo / Maxi Boch / Bennett Foddy
By Jason Siu Published 2 min read In News Tags IGF Awards

We are an ad-free site, so this post may contain affiliate links. If you wish to support us and use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission. Our disclosures explain more. You can also support us by subscribing to our YouTube channel or making us a Preferred Source on Google!

The organizers of the 2026 GDC Festival of Gaming have revealed this year’s finalists and honorable mentions for the 28th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards. It’s a showcase designed to celebrate independent games and their creators, with this year’s ceremony taking place on March 11 at 6:30 PM Pacific (9:30 PM Eastern). It’s been a controversial award season, with many questioning whether or not Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is really an indie game, and according to IGF, it’s not. The Game of the Year winner at The Game Awards 2025 isn’t nominated, giving a chance for other games to shine.

Leading the way this year, with five nominations, is Baby Steps. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s from the minds behind Ape Out and Getting Over It, and stars Nate, an unemployed failson who learns he can walk. Blippo+ is close behind with four nominations, and it’s a live-action, off-cable TV simulator.

According to the IGF Awards, this year’s nominees were selected from a list of almost 800 entries. The general public will be able to cast their vote for the IGF Audience Award from January 12 to January 25.

Best Student Game

  • BubbleBeast DigiDungeon
  • Kiloton
  • Poco
  • Prší
  • Sip Fisher
  • SPRKLS.exe

Honorable mentions

  • Myth of Lumi
  • Candellum
  • Summit Drive
  • Grindset T.V.

Excellence in Audio

  • Baby Steps
  • BALL x PIT
  • Blippo+
  • Eclipsium
  • Morsels
  • Wheel World

Honorable mentions

  • The Drifter
  • Angeline Era
  • Skate Story
  • Demonschool
  • Skin Deep

Excellence in Design

  • Angeline Era
  • Baby Steps
  • Öoo
  • Skin Deep
  • Titanium Court
  • Time Flies

Honorable mentions

  • Strange Jigsaws
  • Below The Crown
  • Is This Seat Taken?
  • Henry Halfhead
  • Type Help

Excellence in Narrative

  • Baby Steps
  • Perfect Tides: Station to Station
  • Promise Mascot Agency
  • Titanium Court
  • Type Help
  • Wednesdays

Honorable mentions

  • Blippo+
  • HORSES
  • The Roottrees Are Dead
  • Sorry We’re Closed

Excellence in Visual Arts

  • Blippo+
  • CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs
  • Eclipsium
  • Loco Motive
  • Morsels
  • Skate Story

Honorable mentions

  • Sol Cesto
  • Is This Seat Taken?
  • The Drifter
  • Demonschool
  • Henry Halfhead
  • PBJ – The Musical

Nuovo Award

  • Baby Steps
  • Blippo+
  • HORSES
  • Mini Mini Golf Golf
  • Plum Road Tea Dream
  • Titanium Court
  • kevin’s PLAYING in berlin
  • Wednesdays

Honorable mentions

  • The End of Gameplay
  • No Players Online
  • The House Dreams Along With Them
  • Type Help
  • ΩMEGA_POINT
  • Dreamcore
  • Threshold

WINGS Award

  • Ambrosia Sky
  • Backpack Battles
  • The Wandering Village
  • Yes, Your Grace 2: Snowfall
  • 13Z: The Zodiac Trials

Seumas McNally Grand Prize

  • Baby Steps
  • Angeline Era
  • Blippo+
  • HORSES
  • Titanium Court
  • Perfect Tides: Station to Station

Honorable mentions

  • Eclipsium
  • Time Flies
  • Skate Story
  • Skin Deep
  • BALL X PIT
  • Demonschool
  • The Drifter

Subscribe to our newsletter and get video game news, reviews, features, and deals straight to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to the newsletter indicates your consent to our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.

With over 20 years in online publishing, Jason Siu is currently a consultant at Autoverse Studios, where he contributes to the development of Auto Legends. His extensive background includes serving as Content Director at VerticalScope and writing about cars for prominent sites like AutoGuide, The Truth About Cars, EV Pulse, FlatSixes, and Tire Authority. As a co-founder of Tunerzine.com and former West Coast Editor of Modified Magazine, Jason has also authored two books for CarTech Books. In his spare time, he founded FullCleared to channel his passion for gaming, with a particular fondness for RPGs.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC AND LATEST NEWS